Multiple strand spinning machine



Dec. 18, 1956 E. T. SiPSEY MULTIPLE STRAND SPINNING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 8, 1951 INVENTOR- EVERETT T. SIPSEY F 3 6 s i f ATTORN Y- Dec. 18, 1956 E. 'r. SIPSEY MULTIPLE STRAND SPINNING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8. 1951 R n m M mp M V/ T N6 M I United States Patent 2,774,211 MULTIPLE STRAND SPINNING MACHINE Everett T. Sipsey, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application October 8, 1951, Serial No. 250,241

7 Claims. (Cl. 5734) This invention relates to apparatus for spinning filamentary material and particularly to equipment adapted to produce a plurality of yarns. The invention is applicable generally to equipment for handling running strands wherein the strands are subjected to similar operations and traverse similar substantially parallel paths in such equipment. The invention, moreover, is readily applicable to existing machines for spinning viscose rayon yarn and, for purposes of illustration, will be described with respect thereto.

It is becoming a common practice to beam yarn directly from the packages or cakes produced by a spinning machine so as to eliminate intermediate unwinding and winding operations entailed in beaming from cones, tubes, etc. Since it is uneconomical to have remnants of cakes remaining in a creel after most of the cakes (perhaps several thousand) supported by the creel have been exhausted, the advantages of the beaming practice are greatly enhanced, if the spinning operation is controlled so as to avoid the waste of yarn at the beamer by providing cakes of uniform yarn lengths. The problem of obtaining cakes of uniform yarn length has at least two aspects, namely, the stopping of each of the spinning machines in a plant installation when the cakes have reached the desired yardage, and the simultaneous stopping, within a single machine, of the collecting of the various yarns being formed therein when the desired yardage has been collected.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary apparatus for severing simultaneously a plurality of running strands, the apparatus being adapted to be incorporated within, or operate in conjunction with, a machine for handling a plurality of strands wherein the strands are passed along substantially parallel paths. A specific object is to provide such an apparatus in a form adapted for use on an artificial yarn spinning machine to control the yarn-length of packages or cakes collected therein. It is also an object to providean apparatus by which viscose yarn packages of uniform yarn length may be obtained from a spinning machine to thus render the practice of beaming from such packages more economical. Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the invention and the drawing relating thereto in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation in section of a spinning machine provided with yarn-severing apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. l as seen from the front of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged pictorial view of a cutting element of the apparatus illustrated by the prior figures;

Fig. 6 is an elevation view of a solenoid system for raising and lowering a strand cutter bar such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Patented Dec. 18, 1956 Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic fragmentary end view of a portion of a spinning machine illustrating a counting device in connection with a godet driving member;

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram which includes the solenoid of Fig. 6 and the counter of Fig. 7; v

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary diagrammatic sectional elevation of a spinning machine and a modified strand-severing apparatus;

Fig. 9a is a diagram of an electrical circuit in which the solenoids and the countingdevice of Fig. 9 are interconnected;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front View of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front view of a spinning machine illustrating still another modification of apparatus for severing yarns;

Fig. 12 illustrates partly in section a portion of the yarn-severing apparatus shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a view partly in section of support and guide structure for the yarn-severing apparatus shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a yamsevering section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a greatly enlarged view of a cutting element such as shown in Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 illustrates a modified arrangement for mounting a solenoid to operate the yarn-cutting device of Fig. 11.

In general, the present invention comprises apparatus for advancing a plurality of strands at substantially similar rates of speed and for measuring the passage of strands until a predetermined yarn length is obtained in respective collectors for the yarn, and then severing the ice yarns simultaneously to prevent further accumulation.

thereof as packages. The apparatus preferably includes godets or rolls having equal peripheries for advancing the strands toward the collectors, a common drive system for rotating the godets or rolls, in unison, a device for severing the strands simultaneously, and a drive operatively connected with the driving system to measure the extent of operation thereof and being connected with the severing device to provide movement thereof when a desired amount of operation of the driving system has occurred. Although reference is made throughout the following description to electrical control of the automatic features, it should be understood, however, that valves and cylinders may be used in place of switches and coils.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig.

1, a fragmentary elevation partly in section of a machine for spinning viscose yarn, the section being taken in a vertical transverse plane of the machine. A multiple filament yarn 9 is formed by the extrusion of viscose solution through a spinneret 5 into a bath 6 contained in the trough 7. The bath partly coagulates the extruded liquid material resulting in the filaments of the yarn 9 before the yarn passes over a guide 8 onto a godet or rotor 10 hereinafter known as the lower godet. Another guide 11 spaces several wraps of the yarn extending around the godet or rotor 10 and the guide 11 in an axial direction along the periphery of the godet. The strand thereafter passes in one direction only and in a single pass to a second godet 15 hereinafter known as the upper godet which, in conventional construction, is similar in construction and size to the godet or rotor 10 but is driven more rapidly than the godet 10 to produce stretching in the yarn 9 as it passes between the godets. The

driving mechanism for the godets is so designed as to provide any desired speed ratio between the upper and lower sets of godets. Normally the speed of the upper godet is gradually increased during the collection of a 3 packageorcake in a bucket 16 by a conventional speed changing transmission 17 interposed between a main drive shaft 17a in connection with a shaft 18 for driving a series of upper godets, and driving means for the machine such as an electrical motor 19.

Fig. 2 shows a plurality of upper godets 15 each receiving a strand from a corresponding lowergodet (not shown). This figure and Fig. 1 show also a device for severing strands 9 at points intermediate the respective upper and lower godets which comprises a bar 20' extending longitudinally of the machine supported on swingable arms 21, 22. Referring to Fig. 2, the right terminal portion of bar 26 is not shown but is supported by an arm similar to arm 21. The arms 21 and 22 are pivotably attached to hinges 24 and 25. The arm 22 may be attached approximately to the middle section of the bar 23 and connected bythe hinge 25 to the spinning machine midway of its length. The bar 20 is preferably in the form of a small H-bar or CB section to provide lightness as well as strength since it is important that the bar 20 does not spring or bend to any substantial degree when lowered during a strand-cutting operation. Within the outwardly-facing groove of the bar 20, cutting elements 27 are held by fasteners such as bolts 28 which extend through the web 29 of the bar as shown in Fig. 3.

' A pair of cutting elements are arranged in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 to engage one of the strands 9. A single element 27 is shown pictorially in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 3, the elements 27 are adjusted within the groove of the bar to form a notch 30 bounded by sharp oblique edges of the elements. When the bar 20 is lowered into position to bring the various pairs of elements into engagement with the threads 9, the sharp edges which outline the notches 30 promptly sever the strands leaving the portions of the yarns advancing over the godets to feed into the various buckets 16. The portions of the strands being drawn from the bath 6 by the lower godets and now severed from the portions advancing into the buckets wrap and' accumulate around the peripheries of the lower godets 10. The strand-cutting device may be manually operated by grasping a handle 32 and pulling the bar downwardly against the pull of acounterweight 33 transmitted by a cable 34 attached to the weight and extending around a pulley 35 into attachment with the arm 22 at 36. By means of the above described cutting device, the collection of packages. in

the bucket 16 is terminated'at the will of the operator, ordinarily when the growth of the packages has reached a desired yarn length.

An important aspect of the present invention, however, is to provide automatic operation ofthe cuttingdevice so that in the normal operation of spinning machines, packages of precise yarn length will be produced irrespective of the care of operators. Accordingly, a device is provided for measuring either directly or indirectly the. rotation of the upper godets to thus provide a measurerhent of the yardage of the yarn entering the buckets 16-. Such measurement may be accomplished in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 wherein is shown a counter 38 having its drive shaft 39 connected by a worm gear assembly 43 to a shaft 40 such as used in the conventional spinning machine and extends from the hereinbeforementioned speed-changing transmission. The shaft 40 is connected with the upper godet drive shaft 18 by means such as the gear chain 41. The counter 38 is a conventional predetermining type such as manufactured by Veeder-Root Incorporated of Hartford, Connecticutanddescribed in its catalogue No. G51 published in 1951 and; identified as Model No. 1239. Such a counter is Provided. with. a switchand'can beset; to a desired numher; when. the number is reached, the switch is actuatedto; close an electrical circuit. The counter. is connected in. a circuit suchas shown in Fig. 8. including-a solenoid coil: 45; the counter 38jand the coil are; connected topower lines 46, 47. The solenoid may be mounted as shown in Fig. 6. A push rod 49 of non-magnetic material is firmly attached to the plunger 50 of the solenoid and is pivotably connected with the arm 22 for supporting the cutter bar 20. The coil 45 of the solenoid is pivotably mounted in a clevis bracket 52 attached to a wall 53 of the spinning machine. When the solenoid coil 45 is energized, the plunger 50 moves downwardly to swing the cutter bar assembly and to cause engagement of the cutting elements 27 with the strands 9. The tension spring 55 returns the cutter bar assembly to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 6. In some spinning operations, a desired yardage of yarn is collectedwithin a precise period of time. In this instance, it is practicable to use a conventional timing device 57 comprising an electrical switch in place of the counter just described.

Since the various parts of the cutter-bar assembly and the control devices therefor are subjected, to corrosive gases and liquids sprayed or splashed about the spinning machine, all parts are constructed ofcorrosion-resistant materials. For example, the clevis-type brackets 52.and 56 for supporting the solenoid and the arm. 22, respeo tively, may comprise ebonite or a. phenol-formaldehyde resin such as commonly used in the construction of spin ning buckets and various other parts of, the spinning ma-. chine. The arms 21 and 22 may be constructed of these materials or a metal such as ordinary steel coated witha corrosion-resistant resin, It is preferable, however, that i the bar 20 be constructed in the form of a standard structural shape, such as that of the H-beam or CB section,

from a corrosion-resistant metal to obtain lightness as well as strength. The H-beam or CB, section selected for the bar 20 has flanges which are wide as compared withthe web to provide grooves of ample depth in which to support the cutting elements 27. The bar 20 may be constructed from some types of stainless steel, tantalum, or ordinary steel coated with lead. The cable 34 may comprise filaments of nylon, a flexible-type vinyl resin,

polyacrylonitrilertyperesins, or other acid-resistant synthetic filament-forming resins. The cutting elements 27 may be fabricated from any hard corrosion-resistant ma.- terial which will maintain a sharp edge for a substantial period of time. These elements may, be formed from such materials as corrosion-resistant metals, corundum or ceramic materials but are preferably made of glass because ofits hardness, easy molding, and low cost.

Another, embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 whereina cutting bar 60 is shown. in its. normal position of support at a level below the upper godets. The bar 60 is suspended on arms 61, 62 and one or more other arms spaced apart in'a longitudinal: direction With respect to. the face ofthe machine. The arms 61 and 62 and the bar 60 may be fabricated from materials similar to those usedpin constructing the bars: of the arms 21 and 22 and the'bar 20, respectively, oh the embodiment hereinbeforeidescribed. The bar'6l1snpports a plurality of cutting elements'27 within a groove; formed by the H cross section of the. bar. The arms: 61 and 62 are suspended pivotably, from pivot brackets 64. and 65 secured to the machine wall 66. ona level: approximately the same as that ofthe godet shafts. 67 as they pass through the Wall. The cutter bar assembly is. moved by a solenoid'7t) munted pivotably on a support arm 71 the latter being attached to a longitudinal: frame member. 72, of the machine. A non-magnetic: push rod 73 fixed to the plunger. 74 of the solenoid and pivotably connected with, the. bar 60: at '75 brings. the. cutter; bar into engagement with the threads 9: when the coil of the solenoidis; energized. By the: operation of: the predeterminingrcounter. 38, shownin Figs. 7 and- 9a, the; threads atiopp ositezsides of themachine. are severed by two different cutter-bar: assemblies (similar: parts of which bear the same numerals) mountedonopposite sides of the spinning machine and connected with the machine.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 11 to 15. Fig. 11 illustrates a front view of a portion of the spinning machine with a strand-cutting device mounted below the upper godets 15 and extending in a generally horizontal direction longitudinally of the machine. The cutting device comprises two bars 80 and 81 one of which may slide with respect to the other in a direction lengthwise of the machine. Their relative motion is produced by a lever 82 pivotably a tached to both bars at 84 and 85. As shown, the bar 81 is held stationary by bolts 88 which extend through the bar and the guide portions of the support 98. The lever 82 may be moved to obtain relative motion of the bars by manually gripping the handle 83 and swinging the lever, or by applying electrical energy to the solenoid 89, the plunger 86 of which is connected by a push rod 87 to the lever 82. The solenoid 89 is electrically controlled by a predetermining counter in the manner illustrated in the circuit diagram of Fig. 8. The strandcutting assembly is supported with the bars 80 and 81 closely adjacent to all of the strands 9 passing between the upper and lower godets of one side of the machine. A plurality of cutting elements such as the element 90, illustrated pictorially in Fig. 15, are secured to the bars as illustrated in enlarged view (Fig. 14). Fig. 14 illustrates the normal position of a pair of cutting elements wherein the bars 80 and 81 are relatively positioned to separate the elements to allow unrestricted passage of the strand 9. When it is desired to sever the strands 9, the bar 80 is moved in the direction of the arrow to bring the edges 92 of the elements toward each other. As the edges 92 meet and pass, the strands are severed.

The elements 90 may be formed to the contour illustrated in Fig. 15 wherein a slot 94 is provided for securing and adjusting the element with respect to the surface of the bar 80 or 81 by a screw 95. The surface 91 passes obliquely to the planes of the sides to the element to provide a sharper cutting edge at 92. Cleats 96 may be secured to both bars 80 and 81 adjacent the cutting elements to hold the elements in alignment.

As shown in Figs. 11 and 13, the bars 80 and 81 are supported by a plurality of brackets or support members 98 secured to the longitudinal frame member 72 of the machine. Each member 98 may terminate as shown in a guide portion 100. Portion 100 and a clip 99 bolted to the bracket portion 100 support the bars and guide the movable bar 80 in the desired alignment with respect to the thread 9. The members 100 are spaced longitudinally along the machine in such number as deemed necessary to adequately support the yarn-cutting mechanism. The solenoid 89 may be supported from one of the brackets 99 by a connecting arm 101 as illustrated in Fig. 11. If preferred, a solenoid actuator mounted as shown in Fig. 16 may be substituted in place of the lever 82 and the solenoid 89 as a means for moving the bar 80. According to the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 16, a solenoid 104 is pivotably mounted on the clip 99 with the plunger 105 connected directly to the bar 80 by the push rod 106.

In the various embodiments herein described, the yarnsevering device is supported between the upper and lower godets, mainlybecause it is normal practice to collect yarn during the cake-removing period on the lower godet. Since the yarn normally advances from the lower godet to the upper godet in a single pass, it wraps readily about the lower godet when severed at a point between the two godets.

A principal advantage derived from the apparatus of the present invention is the production of yarn packages having precisely similar yarn lengths. The desired yarn length may be readily obtained in all the packages produced in one machine or in a plurality of machines. Such packages, although they be wound from freshly spun yarn, may be placed without further unwinding and rewinding, into a creel for feeding a beaming machine, and formed into beams without the necessity of discarding remnants of packages such as remain after a beam is completed when the packages are not uniform in length. In spinning viscose yarns, the use of the present invention is particularly advantageous since the yarns being formed in the spinning machine may be simultaneously severed without stopping the machine. In making viscose yarn, it is necessary to keep the system for handling the viscose solution in operation because of the tendency of the solution to set-up within, and to clog, the spinnerets, filters, ducts, etc.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for spinning a plurality of strands, a separate receiver for collecting each strand into a separate package, two spaced sets of rotors, each rotor having a peripheral surface adapted to store a plurality of wraps of a strand, each set of rotors being disposed in a generally straight alignment parallel to the alignment of the other set whereby strands traveling from the rotors of one set to respective strand-receiving rotors of the other set traverse parallel substantially stationary paths and are discharged from the latter set of strand-receiving rotors toward said receivers, said rotors being arranged to advance each strand from a rotor of one set to a rotor of the other set in a single pass and one direction only along respective paths, means for driving said strandreceiving rotors at equal peripheral speeds; mechanism for severing the strands simultaneously comprising an elongate means extending in a direction generally parallel to the alignment of the sets of rotors and between the two sets in closely spaced lateral relationship with said paths, severing elements mounted on the elongate means, means for moving the elongate means to carry the elements substantially simultaneously through said paths, counting means connected in synchronism with the strandreceiving rotors for measuring the rotation thereof, and control means in connection with the counting means and the means for moving the elongate means, said control means being actuated by the counting means when a predetermined amount of rotation of the strand-receiving rotors has occurred.

2. In a machine for spinning a plurality of strands, a separate receiver for collecting each strand into a separate package, two spaced sets of rotors, each rotor having a peripheral surface adapted to store a plurality of wraps of a strand, each set of rotors being disposed in a generally straight alignment parallel to the alignment of the other set whereby strands traveling from the rotors of one set to respective strand-receiving rotors of the other set traverse parallel substantially stationary paths and are discharged from the latter set of strand-receiving rotors toward said receivers, said rotors being arranged to advance each strand from a rotor of one set to a rotor of the other set in a single pass and one direction only along respective paths, means for driving said strand-receiving rotors at equal peripheral speeds; mechanism for severing the strands simultaneously comprising an elongate means extending closely and laterally with respect to each ofthe strands, severing elements mounted on the elongate means, a solenoid connected with, and acting between, a stationary member of the machine and the elongate means to move the elements substantiallysimultaneously through .the paths ;to sever the strands whenithe coil of the solenoid is energized, a counting ,means connected in 'synchronism with the strand-receiving rotors for vmeasuring the rotation thereof, and a switch in mechanical connection with the counting means, saidswitch being electricallyconnected with said coil of the solenoid and being actuated by the counting means when a predetermined amount of rotation of :the rotors has occurred.

.3. In a machine for'spinning a plurality of strands, a

;plurality.of horizontally-spaced spinnerets, a plurality of horizontally-spaced ,godets each disposed to receive filamentary material from a spinneret, a second set of horizontally-spaced godets disposed above the first named set and each disposed to receive a strandfrom 'a godet of tthefirst set, means for driving the lower'set ofgodets at equal peripheral speeds, ;means for driving the upper godets at equal peripheral speeds greater than the speeds of the lower ,godets, said godets being arranged to advance each strand from a rotor of one set to a rotor of the=other setin a single pass and one direction only :along respective paths, a plurality of horizontally-spaced :spinning buckets each disposed to receive a strand from a corresponding upper godet, a mechanism for simultaneously severing the strands as they pass between the upper and lower godets comprising an elongate cutter bar extending horizontally in closely spaced and adjacent relationship with the strands passing between the godets, sharp-edged cutting elements attached to the cutter bar, a pair of said elements secured to the bar adjacent each thread with the sharp edges extending obliquely toward the bar to form a wedge-shaped notch opening toward a strand, arms for supporting the cutter bar, secured pivotably to the machineon an axis approximately level with the axes of the upper godets, and of such a length as to extend, and to support, the cutter bar in its inoperative position above the godets, counting means connected in synchronism with the upper godets for measuring the rotation thereof, a solenoid connected with, and acting between, a stationary portion of the machine and'a support armfor the cutter bar when the coil of the solenoid is energized to move the cutter bar downwardly until the elements engage the strands, and a switch in mechanical connection with the counting means, said switch being electrically connected with said coil,-and being actuated by the counting means when a predetermined rotation of the upper godets has occurred.

4. In a machine for spinning a plurality of strands, a separate receiver for collecting each strand into a separate package, two spaced sets of rotors, one set of rotors being disposed above the other, each rotor having a pcripheral surface adapted to store a plurality of wraps of a strand, each set of rotors being disposed in generally straight alignment parallel to thealignment of the other set whereby strands traveling from the rotors of one set to respective strand-receiving rotors of the other set traverse parallel substantially stationary paths and are discharged from the latter setof strand-receiving rotors toward said receivers, said rotors being arranged to advance each strand from a rotor of one set to a rotor of the other set in a single pass and one direction only along respective paths, means for driving said strand-receiving rotors at equal peripheral speeds; a mechanism for simultaneously severing the strands comprising a cutter bar, pivotable arms for supporting the cutter bar, spaced pivotal joints attached to a'portion of the machine and being pivotally connected with said support arm along an axis at an elevation approximately level with the axes of theupper rotors, said cutter bar being normally swingably supported onsaid arms below the upper rotors in adjacent relationship to the paths of the strands which extend between the upper and lower rotors, sharp-edge cutting elements attached to the cutter bar, the elements being mounted and arranged in pairs so that the sharp edges of. each pair form a wedge-shaped notch :which opens toward a strand, a solenoid connected ,with, vand-acting between, a stationary member ofthe :machine and the swingable' assembly comprising the cutter'bar and thesupportarms therefor, saidsolenoid when the'coil thereof is energized moving the assembly to carry the element into simultaneous engagement with the strands, a countingmeans connected in synchronismwith" predetermined amount of rotation of the strand-receiving rotors has occurred.

5. In a machine forspinning a plurality of strands,'a separate receiver for collecting each strand into a, separate package, .two spaced sets of rotors, one set of rotors being disposed above the other, each rotor having-a peripheral surface adapted to store a plurality of wraps of a strand, each .set of rotors being disposed in generally straight alignment parallel to the alignment'of the other set'whereby strands traveling from therotors of one set to respective strand-receiving rotors of the other set traverseparallel substantially stationary. paths. and are discharged from. the latter set of strand-receiving ,rotors toward said receivers, said rotors being arranged to ad- Vance each strand from a rotor of one set to a rotor of the otherset in a single pass and one direction only along respective paths,,means for driving said strand-receiving rotors at equal peripheral speeds; a mechanism for simultaneously severing :the strands comprising a pair ofcutter 7 bars extending longitudinally of the machine in a direction generally parallel to the alignments of the. sets of rotors in closely adjacent and lateral relationship, Withsaid paths which extend between the upper and lower rotors, said barstbeing held in slidable engagement relative to each other with respect to their longitudinal, direction, sharp-edgecutting elements attached to both"ba rs,= .the elements being disposed in pairs with the elements of each pair being'mounted on separate bars at opposite sides of separate paths of said paths, electrical means" for moving one'bar relative to the other to carry an element of each :pair mounted [ontheone bar toward and past the corresponding cooperating element of each pair mounted on the other bar to 'efiiect severance of the strands, and counting means connected in synchronism with the strand-receiving rotors for measuring the retation thereof, said'count'ing means including'switchmeans in mechanical, connection therewith, the'switch means being elect-rically connected with said electrical bar-moving means, said switch means being actuated within the countingmeans when a predetermined amount of the rotation of the strand-receiving .rotors has occurred. I f v 6. 'In a machine for spinning a plurality of strands, a separate receiver for collectingleach strand into a separate package, two spaced sets of rotors, each rotorvhaving a peripheral surface adapted to store 'a plurality of wraps of a strand,,each set of rotors being disposed in generally straight alignment parallel to'the alignment of the other set whereby strands traveling from the rotors of one set to respective strand-receiving rotors of the other set traverse parallel substantially stationary paths and are discharged from the strand-receiving rotors toi ward said receivers, said rotors beingrarranged to advance eachstrand from a rotor of one set to a' rotor of the other set in a single pass and one direction only along respective paths, means for driving the strand-receiving rotors:

at equal peripheral speeds; a mechanism for simultaneously severing the. strands comprising apair of elongate members supported for extension in a common length wise direction with ppposed surfaces thereof in relatively slidable engagement, said members extending in a direction extending generally parallel to, and between, the upper and lower sets of'rotors closelyadjacenttosaid paths of strandspassing thereb'etween, guide and support means for supporting the members in said position, pairs of sharp-edge cutting elements secured to both members, the elements of each pair being mounted on separate members with the cutting edge of one element disposed toward the cutting edge of the other element, said elements of each pair and their respective cutting edges being separated during the normal operation of the machine, a solenoid connected with, and acting between, a stationary member of the machine and one of the members, means for holding the other member stationary, counting means connected in synchronism with the strand-receiving rotors for measuring the rotation thereof, and a switch in mechanical connection with the counting means, said switch being electrically connected with the coil of the solenoid and being actuated by the counting means when a predetermined amount of rotation of the rotors has occurred.

7. In a machine for spinning a plurality of strands, two spaced sets of rotors, each rotor having a peripheral surface adapted to store at least one wrap of a strand, each set of rotors being disposed in a generally straight alignment parallel to the alignment of the other set whereby each strand travels from a rotor of one set in one pass to a respective strand-receiving rotor of the other set in one direction only along a substantially stationary path parallel to that traversed by the other strands, means for driving said strand-receiving rotors at a peripheral speed at least equal to that of said set of rotors from which they receive said strands; mechanism for severing the strands simultaneously comprising an elongate means extending in a direction generally parallel to said alignment of the sets of rotors, severing means supported on said elongate means spaced therealong for engagement of said plurality of strands along said paths, means for supporting the elongate means along an ambit of movement therefor extending transversely to said paths through which the elongate means may move from an inoperative position of the severing means to a position wherein the severing means has passed through said paths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,067,534 Manquat July 15, 1913 1,809,660 Wild et al June 9, 1931 1,871,119 Denmire Aug. 9, 1932 2,153,792 Classe Apr. 11, 1939 2,203,793 Lovett June 11, 1940 2,225,638 Jordan Dec. 24, 1940 2,324,834 Gurwick July 20, 1943 2,447,103 Susen Aug. 17, 1948 2,516,157 Stanley July 25, 1950 2,629,440 Shaw et al. Feb. 24, 1953 

